UFC Headliners Alex Grasso, Viviane Araujo Enter Saturday's Matchup With Tentative Title Aspirations
LAS VEGAS—On Saturday, top women's flyweight contenders Alexa Grasso and Viviane Araujo clash in a headliner at the UFC Apex that will have a significant impact on the UFC title picture at 125 pounds.
Exactly how significant remains to be seen.
Mexico's Grasso (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) enters the UFC Fight Night 212 contest sitting in the No. 5 position in the promotion's official women's flyweight rankings. Meanwhile, Brazil's Araujo (11-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) falls just behind at No. 6.
The winner of the five-round affair will certainly find themselves in an enviable position in the division, but they'll also likely need to wait until next week's UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi to know what they've earned as a reward for victory. That pay-per-view event features another key matchup between No. 1 Katlyn Chookagian and No. 7 Manon Fiorot, which will also have a big impact on what comes next for reigning champ Valentina Shevchenko.
"Honestly, I don't know (what's next), because there's another important fight," Grasso said. "The next weekend, it's Fiorot vs. Chookagian, so I think we're kind of the semifinals. We are the four. The champion is going to look at the one who does the best."
Grasso and Araujo were originally scheduled to meet in January, but the Brazilian suffered an injury in training and was forced to withdraw. The two were then paired together in August, as well, but visa issues for Grasso forced it to be rescheduled once again. Ultimately, it proved beneficial, as each fighter now steps into a UFC headliner for the first time.
"I'm very happy with this chance," Araujo said in her native Portuguese. "I've been dedicating myself, my life, pretty much–17 years–for martial arts, and having this chance to be in a main event is like a dream come true."
Oddsmakers favor Grasso, with the 29-year-old contender currently a -225 favorite at SI.Sportsbook.com, implying a nearly 70 percent probability of victory. A boxing specialist, Grasso is renowned for her punching prowess and will likely look to keep the action on the feet.
"We studied her a lot, and I'm ready for her," Araujo said. "I know her boxing is very good. She moves pretty well, but I'm ready. I was training a lot of boxing and a lot of wrestling, as well. My wrestling is sharp, so I'm ready to take her down and keep the fight on the ground."
Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Araujo is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who does boast well-rounded skills but would likely benefit from the action taking place on the canvas. Grasso said she has prepared accordingly.
"Honestly, she's the toughest opponent I've trained for," Grasso admitted. "She moves a lot. She has good hands, and her strongest weapon is her jiu-jitsu. She's a black belt, and I think this is a great challenge for me. I've been improving a lot in my jiu-jitsu game, and that's why I'm taking this opportunity. What else than a black belt to prove yourself, you know?"
Reigning champ Shevchenko is currently enjoying time off in her native Kyrgyzstan but will certainly be watching both UFC Fight Night 212 and next week's UFC 280 with keen interest. Who ultimately emerges as her next foe remains to be seen.
"I'm pretty sure that whoever wins this fight is going to be in a really good position and really good spot to be at the top of the division," Araujo said.
UFC Fight Night 212 streams in its entirety on ESPN+ (4 p.m. ET).
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